GF Black Bean Brownies

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Black beansYes, dessert can be healthy yet still delicious! I like putting savory ingredients in sweets e.g. beetroot, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, beans. It really fools you! They don’t taste like beans at all, but adds an amazing flavour and consistency. Rich, dark, moist, chocolatey and fudgy. Just the way the brownie should be! Trust me on this. You will fall in love with this after the first bite. From a health point of view, it is gluten-free, sugar-free and guilt-free. This brownie has a good amount of protein from beans and eggs, which means it fills you up and stabilises your blood sugar level unlike other desserts that are commonly full of sugar and empty calories. Great for a breakfast if you have a sweet tooth, a snack with a cuppa, even a satisfying yummy dessert with a glass of red 🙂

Black bean brownie 2Cacao powder – well known superfood. The best source of magnesium and anti-oxidants.
Almonds – high in essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E
Black beans – very high in fibre, folate, protein, anti-oxidants, an amazing longevity food!
Cinnamon – natural anti-infectious components, contains fibre, calcium, iron and manganese
Chia – very high in fibre, omega 3, a complete protein, anti-oxidants
Maple syrup – an anti-oxidant powerhouse. contains anti-inflammatory compounds, essential minerals like zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium. helps with digestion and muscle recovery

Black bean brownie

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked black beans and adzuki beans
50g almond meal
25g cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 table spoon of chia seeds
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/3 cup of maple syrup
3 eggs
a pinch of salt

Soak dried black beans over night. Wash well and cook in a boiling water until soft and tender. Drain and mash them with the back of the fork. Add all wet ingredients in a mixing ball, and then dry ingredients. Combine well making sure there is no lumps. Pour into the baking tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40 minutes until cooked.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes

Chilli and Garlic Infused Oil

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Infused oil

I bought a bottle of basil infused oil a while ago from the shop. A scent from using the oil when cooking is just amazing! Store-bought infused oils can cost you fortune. So I decided to make my own using dried chillies and cloves of pickled garlic. You can make infused vinegar, honey, oils with dried or fresh herbs. As a chilli and garlic lover, I’m going for this chilli and garlic infused oil, but feel free to try with rosemary, pepper, lemon, thyme, basil, etc.

I used a handful of whole birds-eye chillies (very hot!) and a few pickled garlic cloves that I made before. Warm the light olive oil and ingredients in a sauté pan and warm over medium heat for a couple of minutes (not boiling!). Let the oil cool completely and transfer to a sterilised jar. You can leave the ingredients in the bottle or strain before using. Allow to infuse for a week in the fridge.

Please note that fresh garlic and herbs that contain any trace of water or moisture might cause a bacterial growth. So if you do use fresh ingredients, keep it refrigerated and use within a week. Or another option is using dried ingredients or preserved ingredients in a brine or vinegar solution just like what I did with dried chillies and pickled garlic. I made this for my mother-in-law 🙂 Hope she likes it x

Posted in: Uncategorized

Chilled Green Soup

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Chilled Green SoupI probably have a bowl of soup 4-5 days a week in winter. That’s how much I like a hearty flavoursome soup, but having a soup in hot summer is a bit of challenge. I made this cold soup with leftover veggies in the fridge. It’s a great way of using up the leftover, especially all the tough stems of celery, broccoli, coriander, spring onion, leek, etc. Do not waste those bottom bits because there is so much goodness in them and they actually taste awesome. You can make a chilled soup like this or use for making your own vegetable stock.

Okay, I added some spices for a kick, but leave them out if you want. You can also strain the soup after pureeing for a smooth silky soup, but I actually like a bit of texture and fibre in my soup, so I skipped that step. If you are into a creamy rich soup, add more dairy like milk and creme. I just topped with a pinch of saffron here, but for a more crunch and flavour, you can add some roasted nuts or roasted pancetta. Enjoy x

Chilled Green Soup2Ingredients

1 chopped onion
1 cup of broccoli
1 cup of celery
1 cup of zucchini
a handful of coriander stem
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
a pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
stock or watersalt and pepper to taste

Cook chopped vegetables with coconut oil in a large pot until cooked. Season and add turmeric powder and cayenne pepper as they cook. Add stock or water, bring it up to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. Puree the soup with a stick blender. Pour into soup bowls and sprinkle saffron. Chill the soup in the fridge for an hour or more. Top with a dollop of creme before serve if you wish.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Love of Spices

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I go to Kakula’s for the spice shopping on the weekend. It is fun to look around different spices, grains, beans and nuts. I’m not a spice expert, but always keep them in my pantry and try to use them a lot in my cooking. So here it is some health benefits of my favorite spices and a gluten-free muffin recipe 🙂

Ginger

Light yellow in color and strong-smelling, some claim ginger to be the “wonder spice” for all of its health benefits. If you’re feeling nauseous or have an upset stomach, ginger can help get rid of these nuisances. From poor digestion to even sore joints, chew on a bit or add some to a hot drink because ginger has the nutritional properties that can help.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory used widely in ayurvedic medicine. It also helps boost your immune system, so this is a good spice to use if you feel a cold coming on.

Paprika

Paprika is packed with healthy nutrients that are good for our bodies, and especially vitamin A. One tablespoon of this red-colored spice contains more than 100 percent of the daily intake requirement. As the vitamin A helps to improve eyesight, paprika also gives your body extra iron to help those bones stay strong.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne is rich in capsaicin. The pepper also contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, and flavonoids, which give the chili its antioxidant properties.

Cumin

Cumin is pungent and strong, and acts as a great salt substitute. With its low levels of sodium, using this instead of extra salt can help reduce blood pressure, all while adding a delicious flavor to meals. Cumin is also a good source of vitamin B, which helps to improve sleep.

Aniseed

Aniseed is high in vitamins such as folates, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It is also an important source of potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and selenium.

Saffron

In ancient cultures, saffron was used to relieve stomach aches and kidney stones and was also used as an agent in improving the circulation of blood. Saffron contains a number of carotenoids which are believed to be largely responsible for a number of saffron’s health benefits, including inhibiting skin tumors, improving arthritis and improving eye and vision health. Other benefits are the treatment of asthma, menstrual discomfort, depression, atherosclerosis, whooping-cough, and many other health problems.

Spiced Almond Muffin

GF Almond Muffins

100g almond meal
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of cardamon powder
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of aniseed powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of Himalayan salt
a pinch of saffron
1 table spoon of maple syrup
1 table spoon of coconut oil


Lightly beat the eggs and mix with coconut oil and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and combine well making sure there is no lumps. Pour into a muffin tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 30 minutes. Serve with a thick Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. It is not sweet muffins after all, so add more of your favorite sweetener if you like.
Posted in: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

“Flavoursome” Soy Sauce

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We all use soy sauce as a staple condiment when we stir-fry, make an Asian salad dressing, use as a seasoning, and flavour a soup, etc. I remember my grandma and aunties used to make all condiments at home from soy sauce to Deonjang. It seriously doesn’t smell good in the house because of the fermentation process happening in them, but you cannot compare the home-made soy sauce to store-bought ones. Its complexity, flavour, earthiness, saltiness, caramel-like.. You wouldn’t believe how good a soy sauce can be. I unfortunately buy a bottle of soy sauce from the shop now since I cannot bring it all the way from Korea. However, there is a trick you can do at home. A little magic that turns a boring soy sauce into a beautiful “flavoursome” soy sauce.

So What is soy sauce? It is made from fermented soy beans mixed with some type of roasted grain (wheat, barley, or rice are common), injected with a special yeast mold, and liberally flavored with salt. After being left to age for several months, the mixture is strained and bottled. Not all soy sauce is same. Depending on methods and process of fermentation and ingredients (water, salt, soy beans), the flavour can vary. Traditionally Korean households used to brew their own soy sauce and some still do, but people tend to get a bottled one from the shops as a faster and less expensive choice.

From its fermentation process, soy sauce is rich in antioxidants, isoflavones, protein, and even a small amount of fiber. It also provides digestive tract benefits. One tablespoon of soy sauce has roughly 11 calories, 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and 1006 mg of sodium. It is better to look for traditionally made ones for health benefits. So go to natural food stores and find “certified organic”, “additive-free” varieties. If you have a wheat sensitivity, you can choose to buy “tamari” which is a soy sauce without wheat in it. If you have blood pressure or cardiovascular health problems and need to watch out a sodium intake, go for a sodium reduced version.

Now onto this “flavoursome” soy sauce. Pour 100ml of soy sauce, 50ml of cooking wine and 100ml of water into a pot. Add flavour agents – fruits and vegetables such as onions, garlic, spring onions, leeks, chillies, apples, pears, bay leaves, peppercorns. Just like when you make a stock at home, bring it up to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Let it cool, strain the sauce and transfer to a bottle. Keep it in the fridge and use when you need. I made a bottle yesterday and tried on my tofu – delicious! I recommend making your soy sauce more interesting at home like this. You will taste the difference, pack of flavour 🙂

Spicy Rice CakesKorean Spicy Rice Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup of rice cakes
1 cup of shredded green cabbage
1 green onion
1 carrot
1/2 cup spring onion
a cup of water
1 table spoon of Gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
1 table spoon of chilli flakes
1 table spoon of white wine vinegar
1 table spoon of honey
1 table spoon of “flavoursome” soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Soak rice cakes in water for 30 minutes to soften. Clean and chop all vegetables so they are ready to go. In a little bowl, make the spicy sauce by mixing Gochujang, chilli flakes, vinegar, honey and soy sauce. Stir-fry vegetables in a hot pan and cook about half-way through, then add rice cakes, a cup of water and spicy sauce. Stir well to combine and simmer for 10-15 minutes until all ingredients are cooked and the sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top before serve.

Posted in: Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian